Anyone have a favorite WWII book?

Buying as a gift, anyone with a favorite?

 

OPERATION DRUMBEAT is true story of german U-boats attacks along the East Coast of US during world war II. I got mine on amazon

 

depends on what you like. i like the first person biography.

 

On to Berlin by Gavin

 

I don't believe there is a better book than the one by Hans von Luck, because I don't believe anyone had the breadth of experience he had. From the first days of Blitzkrieg to being the one to reach the furthest into the Soviet Union, he was in the outskirts of Moscow, to Afrika Korps, then back to the Russian front, D-Day aftermath, and defending Berlin. This guy saw it all at the edge, then pow, then back to the world.

Amazing book and life. He was on Larry King years ago when Larry was doing a live special from D-Day celebrations in the 90's. The whole book is interesting, easy to read, and would make a heck of a movie. read the reviews

Amazon.com: Panzer Commander: The Memoirs of Colonel Hans von Luck (World War II Libary) (9780440208020): Hans Von Luck: Books

Panzer Commander: The Memoirs of Colonel Hans von Luck by Hans Von Luck | 9780804151979 | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble

http://images.c-spanvideo.org/Files/149/9276602-57053-1.jpg

 

Thanks a lot guys.

 

An absolute must read is "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" by William L. Shirer.

A great novel about Naziism written at the time is "Every Man Dies Alone" by Hans Filada.

I'd like to hear some good recommendations on the Pacific theater.

Matt

 

The Knight, Death, and the Devil.

Author: Ella Leffland

From Amazon.com page: "The Knight, Death and the Devil is a historical and biographical novel of Hermann Goring. Published to extraordinary acclaim, it illuminates the life of Hitler's second-in-command and the rise of the Nazi party as no work--fiction or nonfiction--ever has."

From myself: A truly awesome and unforgettable read.

 

"Private Svoboda: Hope is the Last to Die "

"Clear the Bridge!: The War Patrols of the U.S.S. Tang"

"Iron Coffins: A Personal Account Of The German U-boat Battles Of World War II"

"With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa"

"Sniper on the Eastern Front: The Memoirs of Sepp Allerberger"

all are first person accounts.

 

From the Turret, by Dwight Strickler. Written by a tank driver in the Pacific campaign. Starts in 1942 in training in Australia, ends as part of the occupying force in Tokyo in fall 1945. Written in a sort of choppy matter of fact style that you can almost hear the author saying it aloud and then typing it out.

I have a personal connection with this book as my grandfather was also a tank driver in the same unit as Strickler and featured several times. They were two of just a small handful of members to make it through without being killed or sent home injured. My copy was a gift from him on the 50th anniversary of the surrender of Japan.

 

Hi,

"Berlin - The Downfall 1945" by Anthony Trevor. Couldn't put it down.

Regards,

Ramin

 

The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945
Rick Atkinson

one of the best WWII books ever,last of a 3 part Trilogy

 

I've been meaning to buy and read Mein Kampf. I was recently reading quotes by Hitler

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/30691.Adolf_Hitler

Which now has me wanting to read the book. the book may be insightful as to how a single person can be so cruel to mankind and start a WW.


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Descent Into Darkness by Edward Rayner.

A true story of a Navy diver following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

That would be a waste of time and money. I tried reading it many years ago, out of the library, and it was like his speeches, just utter crap like it was from a bad b movie script. The thing is there is only 1 real piece of material that shows Hitler as he must have really been. It is the conversation he had with Finlands General Mannerheim (posted below). In that you hear his real voice and what he was like, he sounds intelligent, reasonable, and relaxed. That is the only direct insight history has on him. His speeches make him out to be some looney caricature. As to why he did what he did, anyone's guess. Also the speech before the Reichstag responding to FDR was interesting and unlike all other speeches because it was before his cronies and not the public.

The mannerheim conversation -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8raDPASvq0


The only hitler speech I find enjoyable;

Adolf Hitler Singt [1]The Jeffersons - YouTube

 

I've read a few when I was a kid but only kept one. Exactly the same as this one.

A German Ace tells Why by Leonhard Guenther Signed Autographed Hardcover
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Stuka Pilot give some interesting insight of a true believer. Hans Ulrich Rudel was an ardent NAZI and the highest decorated German.


Mein Kampf Don't bother


Battle of Kursk is very good. We tend to forget the massive size of the Eastern Front and how important an aspect of the war it was.


Rape of Nanking is a very graphic account of the Japanese invasion of China.

Das Boot was a good insight into the German U Boat war.

 

Rape of Nanking is a very good book, but a difficult read because of the detail involved

 

Agreed.

That sentence is a little disturbing without italics or quotation marks...

 

Churchill's account:
The Second World War: 6-Volume Set (Unabridged): Winston S. Churchill: Amazon.com

 

you're right,seeing it the way i said it wasn't meant to be flip or non caring

the story is indeed horrific,and very difficult to read
it has really never been presented to westerners in such graphic detail
and it IS an important story that just hasn't received the attention it needed
very well written

 

More recommendation that favorite:

Engineers of Victory: The Problem Solvers Who Turned The Tide in the Second World War: Paul Kennedy